That’s where the small fire on 132nd Avenue near the Allegan State Game Area ignited on Thursday. A homeowner was cleaning his yard and the wind picked up and carried embers to nearby forest area where the dry leaves caught fire and spread, Haverdink said.

The other fire was south of Fennville, according to scanner reports.

The state’s busiest fire season is in the spring before new green grass comes up and trees have not sprouted their foliage, according to the Department of Natural Resources. There are 10,000 to 12,000 wildfires a year, most caused by people burning debris, the agency said on its website.

A fire in the dunes along Lake Michigan is always a concern, said Graafschap Fire Chief Cal Haverdink.

A fire sparked by Department of Natural Resources work last spring burned more than 8 acres in the Saugatuck Dunes State Park. Thirty people from four departments fought the fire.

“With dune grass, it can be green on top and like straw near the ground,” the Graafschap chief said.

There have been no calls in the dunes so far this year, but, Cal Haverdink said, “It’s always a concern.”

Burning does require a permit. In Allegan County, call (269) 686-5222 or the local fire department. In Ottawa County, contact the local fire department.